I don't want to Recall Funk or Defend the Funk. I don't want to start a race riot or embrace the Minutemen. I don't have any other agenda than the truth and the citizens are not hearing it. The Falling Star isn't doing it the Pitch has gotten lazy and lost credibility. If anyone else is interested -- Let's hear it.
Don't worry about confidentiality. I am a long-time City Hall insider and would be in a whole lot of trouble too.

Friday, January 25, 2008

Standing Up or Ducking

I can't figure out whether Hermann is showing courage by turning the RFP issue over to the Municipal Ethics Commission or ducking responsibility for handling the messiest part of the audit. I'm not sure that it matters and I do believe it was the right thing to do. I am hopeful that the Commission will decide to review all of the problems in the RFP Audit. My greatest dream is that in their review they will recognize how pervasive the corruption is within the whole system.

In the meantime, Riley appears close to a nervous breakdown. He has been ranting and raving through City Hall for nearly a month. Staff that has been threatened by him should report him to Security. Everyone who was thrown to the wolves by Cauthen during the Finance and Audit Committee meeting should seek "Whistle Blower" protection. Cauthen will attempt to make an example of those he sees as disloyal. He is furious that some staff members actually put things in writing. Cauthen doesn't believe in ever putting anything in writing, don't leave a trail.

Sad, that many employees are now worried about their jobs. Not because they did anything wrong but because they documented their activities. Activities directed by Cauthen.

9 comments:

Anonymous
said...

as a retired city employee im glad that the ethics panel is looking into these things. they need to go back to the health care bids also you might be surprised how many council people receive money under the table

Riley's a thug, always has been, always will be. He thinks the only way to work with people is to push them around and intimidate. Well, everyone at City Hall needs to start documenting his tirades and making formal complaints. He needs to be charged with harassment.

Would someone please explain how we ended up with BCBS as sole source provider, especially in light of the influence peddling, bribery, kickbacks, whatever by BCBS's Anderson/Walker/Latham to Riley's role model, Jeanne D Robinson and who knows how many others? Kay Barnes was mayor then, wasn't she?

I get hit with some petty charge on every doctor visit now that BCBS doesn't pay. Never paid anything over co-pays before. Guess they're feeling very secure in the deal that whoever stuck "on our behalf" to where they can maximize their profits.

Think maybe this is causing some of the edginess. Anytime the regulators start sniffing around, people wind up in front of a grand jury. How about being the first of the year!!! How ironic that a LA company from the hotbed of government corruption is taking it over.

http://www.kansascity.com/382/v-print/story/461413.htmlDouglass National fails, to reopen Monday as branch of Louisiana bankBy DAN MARGOLIESThe Kansas City StarLiberty Bank and Trust Co. of New Orleans will assume the deposits of Douglass National Bank after federal regulators closed the Kansas City bank on Friday.

Riley appears to be behaving with desperation. He's such a self-made victim. He screws up because someone else made him do it? Grow up, Riley! You got yourself into this mess because of what you did. Relativism will not diminish your wrong behavior.

Note to Falling Star - it's only a war if two sides are fighting. Hermann did the right thing. Riley is fighting with himself, as usual. She's not fighting back because she doesn't have to - she has the truth on her side.

Found the post below at the "Riley vs. Hermann: It's war now" article mentioned by 10:10 in post above. Note kclifetimer's advice to Riley.Here's the link: http://primebuzz.kcstar.com/?q=node/9685

"Submitted by kclifetimer on January 25, 2008 - 9:16am.

If we are going to start doing ethics audits I would suggest an outside source. Why was Riley unnamed in the Audit? See what I mean. They tried to protect him as much as they could. That's the thanks you get Mr White and whatever city attorney advised him to leave the name out and edit the findings.

This outside Auditor could investigate the Global trade Comission which was Chaired by Troy Nash until this term, so there may be interesting expenditures from the Councilman who saw the world during his tenure as a Councilman.

Hermann hardly ever leaves town.

A word of advice to Riley. Shhhhhhh, They don't know about all that other stuff and the more you protest the more likely the other contracts you were involved in will get a second look. They may even look at the business you brought in to Douglas Bank and the timing of those deposits. SHHHHHHHH!"

I wonder in light of the Douglass National Bank failure, noted in the post by 9:47, http://www.kansascity.com/382/v-print/story/461413.html, if it relates to what kclifetimer hinted at in the post from primebuzz.kcstar.com.

Remember in the October council session when Riley was trying to do a one-man filibuster to prevent a vote giving notice to Cauthen that his contract would not automatically renew? When Riley wouldn't let anyone else speak? When he about fell asleep along with his audience??? His loyalty to Cauthen with his filibuster had its limits as he had to catch a flight to New Orleans?

According to the article "Liberty Bank and Trust Co. of New Orleans will assume the deposits of Douglass National Bank after federal regulators closed the Kansas City bank on Friday."

What was Riley's trip to New Orleans about? Did he go there to meet with Liberty Bank and Trust entities about Douglass National Bank's problems? Is there a Citadel connection? What business did Riley give to Douglass National Bank? And when? Please enlighten us kclifetimer or other readers that have knowledge. Just wondering if there could be a connection.

That's not the only time that the http://www.pitch.com/2008-01-03/news/your-tax-dollars-not-at-work/full

(Citadel Plaza) CDC-KC has been to court in the past two years. In 2006, Douglass National Bank sued the CDC-KC after it defaulted on a $500,000 promissory note. A circuit judge ordered the CDC-KC to repay the note plus $50,000 to cover interest, late fees and attorneys' costs.